4 Layer Spice Cake with Citrus Filling

I. Love. Cake. Over the years, as I have aged (woe is me, hear the cracking of my bones), my sweet tooth has waned considerably. If I crave something, it's invariably savory. From time to time, however, I am presented with the option of cake, and those are good times. I am a grown woman and I still want the icing-drenched corner piece of store-bought birthday cake.

I love cake so much that I have rules for it: I'm not allowed to bake it in my home, only other people's (fortunately, my parents do, in fact, have a kitchen), I may not ever buy one, and above all, I can never be trusted to cut my own piece. [Edit: My friend Josh had this to say about my rules "That looks awesome. Your rules for cake, though, frankly suck. First rule of cake: there are no rules. omnomnom"]

You can imagine how I felt when this little gem showed up in my mailbox:



Obviously. I made the cake.

The only thing I would change is the icing. I think that a light cream cheese icing would cut down on the intense sweetness of this cake, which would make it pretty much perfect.

Spice Cake
(original recipe)

1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (remember, 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice + 10 min = buttermilk)
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Let cool.

2. Meanwhile, beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.

3. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

4. Divide batter into 2 equal portions (about 3 1/2 cups each); stir cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and pecans into 1 portion. Pour plain batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans (about 1 3/4 cups batter per pan). Pour spiced batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans (about 2 cups batter per pan).

5. Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

6. Place 1 plain cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand; spread top with 2/3 cup citrus filling, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges. Top with a spice cake layer, and spread top with Filling as directed above. Repeat procedure with remaining plain cake layer and Filling. Top with remaining spice cake layer. Smother in icing.

Citrus Filling
(original recipe)

2 (10-oz.) jars lemon curd
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

1. Stir. Seriously, just stir.

Cream Cheese Icing
(should make more than you need)

4 2/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
6 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, cold/room temp
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1) Beat powdered sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-slow speed until it comes together and is well mixed.

2) Add the cream cheese all at once and beat on medium to medium-high until incorporated.

3) Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, or until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Do not over-beat as the frosting can quickly become runny.

I didn't say it would be good for you.